Democrats call for new South Australian gun laws
by Ian Gilfillan MLC
Australian Democrats
29 October 1998
RE: Firearms (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill 1998.
In 1996, after the Port Arthur massacre, Australia's Police Ministers met in Canberra and agreed to implement strict and uniform national gun laws. However this has not eventuated. Each state has departed from the resolutions agreed at that Police Minister's meeting. There is no uniformity between the states. But in an attempt to reach uniformity, each state's laws are being watered down, towards the lowest common denominator. This has been documented by Professor Kate Warner of the University of Tasmania, on behalf of the Australian Institute of Criminology.
As one of the founders of Gun Control Coalition in South Australia, and a Member of Parliament, I find this situation unacceptable. Therefore I have drawn up proposed legislation which would establish South Australia as the first and only state to comply with restrictions, proposed in the wake of the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
If my proposed amendments to the Firearms Act are carried, then South Australia will move away from the pursuit of uniformity for uniformity's sake. Out state's laws will become, instead, the model that all Australians wanted to pursue in 1996.
The main points of the Bill are these;
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anyone convicted of any intentional act of violence (with or without a weapon) in the last five years will be ineligible to acquire a firearms licence;
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anyone so convicted will automatically lose their licence; and police will be empowered to search for and confiscate their firearm(s);
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"personal protection" will be specifically excluded as reason for acquiring a firearm, holding it or using it;
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The Firearms Registrar (the Police Commissioner) will be required to inspect proposed storage facilities before granting a licence;
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anyone under 18 will be unable to hold a firearms licence;
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and firearm games such as paintball will be banned
A copy of the Bill is enclosed for your consideration, and any comments are welcome.
Yours sincerely
(signed)
Ian Gilfillan MLC
Australian Democrats
Legislative Council
Parliament House
South Australia.
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